w e a k
by ColoredCats
Summary: He's a frail boy, ill yet cowardly, using his illness as a means to escape his responsibilities. His sister has devoted her life to him, to ensure that he can live comfortably in their broken world, even if he is the source of most of her suffering. When everything around Rin begins to shatter, she must choose between saving herself, her brother, or her long overdue freedom...
1. Chapter 1

She sat in the plastic green chair, staring at the clear tubes that ran into her mother's veins, feeding her medication that only extended her heavy breathing and unbearable aches for a few hours more. The heart monitor beeped, but it wouldn't be beeping for long. Rin knew that, and it seemed that she was the only one who could acknowledge the truth. She quickly peered at her brother as he sat next to her, kicking his feet as his legs dangled from the chair. Her twin brother was still naively hung over his own force-fed lie that their mother would suddenly sit up from the bed and start playing games them. Rin knew that it would never happen again. She knew from the first day that her mother entered the hospital that days like that were over.

It was going to happen eventually. She figured it out when she saw her coughing up thick, heavy blood a few months prior. It was the same moment as well when her father realized that he couldn't force their mother to live anymore, as much as he wanted her to exist so he could get extra money from the government. That's all he cared about. He didn't care about them in the slightest. It was sleeping, work, and money- that was all that mattered to him. Perhaps eating was another exception, yet Rin knew that getting his attention wasn't worth the effort. She didn't want his rancid breath in her face in the first place. Rin would have preferred to see him on the bed instead of her mother, but then again, he was the breadwinner, nor was her mother going to live forever, contrary to Len's beliefs. Len always clung around her, and his mother clung to him for the simple fact that they were both weak and frail and could easily depend on one another. It made Rin cringe; Rin was independent, almost too independent for a ten year old child, and she wouldn't have been surprised if their mother forgot that she existed while she was stuck in her drug-induced existence. She could only reply to that thought with a simple shrug. She never admired weakness, the victim-hood that her mother carried on her back. She wished that her mother hadn't let her illness define her, because she let Len's define him, too.

He didn't have the same illness she had, and hell, she didn't even know what illness her mother had in the first place- some sort of disease that made people cough up blood, Rin supposed, but Len was weaker than paper and as mentally fit as a sloth. At least her mother was there for them before she became incredibly ill, that was a given, even if she spent most of her time babying Len. It was bound to happen, after her father began to restrict their mother to the insides of the house, and then to her bedroom. Now that she thought about it, perhaps even if her mother didn't want her illness define her, she didn't seem to have a choice. Everything went downhill too fast- her mother went from gazing aimlessly out the window to spitting up thermometer-red liquid in the sink within seconds. At least, it seemed like that to Rin.

Even when their mother was restricted to her bed, she always talked to them. Rin less so, because they were so different, and Rin didn't need to be babied nor coddled. Sometimes, Rin could see through the crack of the bedroom door, and she could always see Len curled up on the bed, with an arm as white as a corpse's wrapped around him, with marble white fingers stroking his blond hair, the blond fluff that baby chicks were covered with. She always heard her dad call the scene 'pathetic' under his stale breath, and sometimes it angered her. Yet, in her mind, she knew that it truly was pathetic. Both mother and child sucked the pity pacifier and passed it back and forth to each other like a joint.

Both children were soon to be completely alone, especially Len. Rin still had Len, the most important person in her life, considering she had no one else. Even if he was spoiled and wimpy, he was her brother, and she was always told to stay with him. They only had each other once their mother was dead. However, Len was losing his mother, the light of his life. Rin hadn't realized that he curled up next to his mother on her death bed after she locked herself in her head to juggle her thoughts.

"Len!" Rin whispered hoarsely. "Get off!"

"B-but mommy-"

"She's sick! Leave her be."

"Mommy said I could."

Rin heard a low moan emit from the gray figure on the bed. She watched as her mother's watery eyes fought their way open, but the eyelids stubbornly remained half-lidded.

"Rin? You're here? I didn't know..." The voice trailed off into oblivion.

Rin walked over to her mother, focusing on the slow beeps of the monitor. "I'm here."

"Hmm." She murmured.

Rin heard Len cry loudly. "Mommy, please stay!"

"Mommy is going to be fine, Len." The mother croaked.

Rin resisted from laughing as a way to cope with her mother's pathetic denial. She wondered how her own mother could lie to herself at a time like this?

"Lenny, dear, I need to speak with your sister."

"I don't want to leave, mommy."

"Lenny..."

She listened to the listless voices sluggishly battle each other until Len reluctantly slid off her bed.

"Make sure mommy is okay." He requested.

"Sure, Len." She lied.

He left the room. Now it was only her, her mother, and the heart monitor. She stood by her bed and watched the woman with limp hair and hallow cheeks take in shallow breaths. It was weird to think that once upon a time, her mother's hair was voluptuous and her face was full. Those days were clearly over.

"Rin?"

"I'm here."

"Great, great..." She whispered.

More beeps filled in the silence.

"What is it, mom?" Rin asked quietly, being careful not to interrupt the heart monitor's beeping. She watched her eyes flutter open again.

"He has a weak heart..." She said drowsily. "I had weak bones, but his heart...you have to protect him, Rin."

"I already do. I'm not doing a good job?"

"You are, you are. But..." She looked at her tiredly, the conversation already exhausting the last of her mortal energy. "Len needs a lot of protection. Your father...won't be there, and I'll be dead. Then again...I've been dead for a while." Rin witnessed her mother attempt a defeated smile, but her lips relaxed.

She was too weak to pretend anymore.

"You have to take care of him, he's my baby..." She groaned.

"I always protect him, and I always will." Rin promised.

"Promise, please? He's so weak, Rin..."

"Look at yourself, mom."

"I know." She saw the woman smile, her cracked lips revealing the yellowed teeth that had been eaten away by vomit and caustic medication. "That's why Len has to live. He's my baby. He'll get better one day. Don't break the promise... That's all I want..."

"Okay, mom. I promise."

"Rin?" She asked urgently. Her eyes suddenly widened as she stared at her daughter. "Do you love me?"

The beeping lingered, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I love you a lot."

A relieved sigh snuck through her mother's pale lips. "Good..."

She watched her mother's body slowly shut down. She watched her dull gray eyes close for good and her entire body prepare for eternal sleep.

"Mommy?" Len came back into the room.

Rin watched the white hand fall limply beside the mattress. She winced upon hearing Len's quivering voice.

"Mommy!" Len screamed as he heard the heart monitor beep wildly, as it beeped faster while their mother slowed down.

She watched her mother's chest sink, failing to rise again. Her mouth went slack. Rin was forced out of the room as doctors and nurses came running in. She made her into the hallway. She frowned at her brother's screams. Rapid footsteps made their way into her mother's room.

"My wife! My wife!" Her father screamed wildly. Rin heard Len cry and watching him be shoved out of the room. "Get away! The doctors are trying to save her life!" Their father squeezed into the rooms with the doctors and nurses who desperately tried (to Rin's bewilderment) to revive their once-suffering mother.

She only heard Len's screams and then the unsettling silence as the heart monitor flat lined. She listened to the heart monitor as she wiped away the wetness from her cheeks.

It was pointless for her to be sad. Her mother always asked for so much, but gave back little. She could never afford to tell her 'I love you'. Rin was never her baby, and she knew that she never would be. But why did it matter now? The burden of her mother's existence was gone- she never had to spoon feed her medicine again- and it should have been a sigh of relief for her. Except now, the burden had been replaced with a desperate promise that she was expected to carry on forever.

She heard quiet shrieks erupt from her mother's room. She watched the unemotional doctors and nurses walk out, and she made herself back inside the room. She ignored her father's grim face, and figured that he was depressed over the loss of his other source of income. He wasn't going to comfort Len, and she knew she'd have to do it. She already had to perform her mother's chores once she her mother became ill and it seemed that emotional support would become another task for her. Rin bared the heavy scent of alcohol wipes and walked towards her brother, who had made his way to his mother's deathbed.

"Mommy, come back!" Rin watched him squeeze his mother's lax hand.

"She's not coming back, Len."

"But Rin-"

"I'm here now, Len." She grabbed his thin shoulders and forced him to look at her. "I'm here."

Rin watched his eyes slowly shatter.

"I didn't get to say goodbye, Rin."

Rin felt her own eyes begin to shatter and she immediately blinked her eyeballs back together. She sighed sadly.

"Me neither."

He sobbed and she let him bury his face into her shoulder. She stared at the wall in front of her, contemplating when Len would get over her death. Probably never, at this point. She winced as he shrieked in a pitiful fashion. She patted his back and sighed, trying not to express her emotions, ignoring the increasing dampness on her shoulder, and attempting to silence the ringing in her eardrums. He wouldn't know, but the load on her back was already heavy enough, and all she wanted to do was cry, too.

* * *

"Rin, are you done shelving those books?"

"Almost, Meiko."

Rin listened to Meiko walk away while grasping the final book to be shelved away. Rin climbed up the ladder to reach a tall shelf. She made space between two books to put the last one in. Suddenly, she felt herself falling backwards and shrieked. She quickly grasped back onto the handle of the ladder and smashed her foot back onto a rung. She felt her heart beep drop back into its normal tempo when she realized that she had regained her balance, and that she wouldn't be like Humpty Dumpty, splattered all over the walls.

"Geez, that could have ended badly," A voice down below said.

"I almost died, Miku!" Rin cried out dramatically.

"C'mon, Rin, get your butt down before you almost die again."

"Dying isn't an option for me."

(It wasn't, at all.)

"Then get down so we can go home!"

Rin climbed down the ladder and pushed it down to the end of the shelf. Miku followed her while she held a book up to her chest.

"Let me book this one last one back."

The girls walked to the biography section. Rin listened to Miku whistle quietly before talking quietly. Miku gently slid a book back onto its shelf.

"Rin, I saw some kids picking on Len this morning."

Rin snorted. "Was it Cul and Mayu?"

"Er, I dunno, but one had ruby hair and the other was blonde."

"That's them. I told them to screw off before I cut their hair. They fled. They're just fucking cowards, like the rest of them are." Rin rolled her eyes at the thought of them as they chattered their way to the front desk.

"Shh, Rin!" Miku attempted to hide her giggle. She walked behind the front to pick up her backpack, and lifting Rin's up for her. "We're in a library. Watch your mouth!"

Both girls quieted as their boss walked to the desk. She smiled and waved to both teenagers. "Nice work, girls, see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Meiko." Both girls said. They walked out the door of the library.

"And now, we're out. About fucking time."

"Rin! My mother would kill me if I said things like that!"

"I don't have a mother, so I guess I'm fine."

"Oh, yeah." Miku cringed at her mistake. "I-I'm sorry-"

"It's fine, Miku." Rin reassured. "It's been two years. I'm thirteen, not a baby."

"Yeah, but Len still seems melancholic about it at times."

"He was closer with her." Rin shrugged.

"Ah. Are you a daddy's girl then? You never tell me this stuff, Rin!"

Rin's shoulders hitched in the middle of her relaxed shrug. "Not in the slightest." She sneered.

Miku laughed nervously at her second blunder. She rubbed the back of her head. "H-huh. Hey, it's almost six. I know you have to be at your house by then, or else you get all antsy."

"We'll get there by then. I just need to give Len his meds around that time, or else he gets nausea for the rest of the night."

"Why can't he just give it to himself?"

"He has too many medications to keep up with. I try to take the load off of him sometimes."

"Oh."

The girls walked through the thick breeze. Miku untangled a strand of her teal hair, then suddenly pouted before she began to stare at Rin gravely.

"...Is everything okay at home, Rin?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?" She sighed. "This is the fifth time you've asked this month. Sixth. Something like that?"

"You don't seem to like your dad...a-and, look, SeeU said that- look, I know that SeeU can tend to exaggerate everything, but she seemed concerned when she told me. She said that she saw a bruise the size of a baseball on your back while you were changing for gym."

"Oh, that." Rin mused. She nodded as if she suddenly recalled the memory. "I hit my back on a rock the other day while rolling down a hill."

"And why were you doing that?"

"I was trying to make Len feel better, and we had a competition to see who would roll down the hill first. I won, but I almost broke my back in the process."

"Ouch." She muttered, her eyes still staring at Rin unconvincingly.

"Pretty much."

"Make sure you put some ice on that." Miku suggested with a murmur.

Rin knew that Miku wanted her to be honest, but knowing Miku, she wouldn't be able to hold a secret for her. As much as she wanted to trust her, Miku wasn't an exception; she was grouped in with the rest of the population that Rin couldn't trust, which included everyone she knew.

Rin began to approach her 'home' and she felt her stomach clench.

Miku frowned and finally popped the bubble of silence. "Sorry about that question. I shouldn't be prying into your business."

"You don't need to apologize for everything, Miku."

"I-It's a bad habit, I know, I'm sor- damnit!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, you're letting my bad habits rub off onto you."

"N-no! Everybody slips up sometimes!" Miku whined.

"Next time, I'm going to put soap in your mouth." Rin teased.

"Please, don't!"

"It's a joke." Rin rolled her eyes and grabbed onto the banister as she walked up to her porch.

"I-I knew that!" Miku shouted as she walked further away. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Rin waved to Miku until she could no longer see her. She put her hand down and frowned, and gently touched her back. Her fingers circled around the discolored splotch of skin until she applied some pressure to the area, causing her to wince. She didn't think the bruise was that bad, but it'd appear so.

'_Way to be, Rin._'

She tiredly walked into the house when she remembered it was around six. Time to make dinner- not for her, of course, but for her _lovely_ father.

"Len, I'm home." Rin began to run up the stairs to her brother's bedroom until a harsh smell filled up her nostrils. She stopped halfway up the stairs and ran down and shrieked.

"The fish!" Rin quickly opened the stove and sighed. She observed the fish carefully and glared at the burnt ends. Her father would have to live with it. She felt her back tingle and she groaned. No, _she'd_ have to live with it.

'_He can't even remember to check the fucking fish._'

"Len, you nearly set the house on fire!" Rin yelled from the kitchen. She hastily grabbed a bag of noodles from the cabinet while she let a pot of water boil on the stove. She didn't expect a response from her brother. He was likely resting, like he did every day after school while she worked. He was too exhausted after school to work.

"That doesn't give him an excuse to make me suffer." Rin gritted through her teeth. When the water boiled, she poured the noodles in. It was six thirty when she checked her phone and she realized that she didn't have time to spare to yell at Len. He didn't handle anger well anyway. It was like yelling at a baby- a toddler, at best.

She ran up the stairs and knocked harshly on his door. "Are you up?"

Her brother opened the door. She glared at his boxers, littered with miniature dancing cartoon bananas. They danced over the hem of the boxers gleefully. Len frowned.

"Where were you?"

"Working, so we can, you know, eat." Rin snapped. The acidity of her voice would have dissolved metal. "Where were you when the fish was burning?"

"Oh crap, I- Sorry, Rin." He said, seeming slightly guilty. "I was sleeping."

'_Breathe, Rin._'

Rin unfurled her clenched fingers from her palm. "It's alright, Len." Rin smiled, gulping down her anger. It settled in her stomach and boiled until the frustration settled into a slow simmer.

"Just remember next time when I make fish to take it out of the oven." There was no point in yelling at him. He never remembered, anyway. He didn't need to remember anything as long as it didn't involve him getting bruised all over.

"Just give me your clothes."

"I already have them out." He threw the bundle of clothes to her. "Do you have your clothes?"

"I was getting to that."

"Hurry before he comes. P-please, Rin."

"I'm trying, Len." Rin sighed wearily.

'_You haven't had to worry for the past two years._'

Not since she had found Len on the floor in his bedroom with blood spilling out of his nostrils and a black right eye when she came home from track practice. She had to quit track the next day when she saw the red mark the size of a gorilla's hand etched onto the skin of his side that night. At least he never had to worry again, and at least she didn't have to worry about track practices anymore. She hadn't needed to worry about her hobbies for two years. Running wasn't even a thought in her mind anymore; her brother was more important, wasn't he?

She ran into her room and fumbled to throw off her clothes and put Len's shirt on. "How are you feeling?" She asked loudly. She looked at herself in the mirror and wondered if Len had gained weight; the shirt barely clung to curves anymore. Then again, it had been happening to the other shirts, too, yet she couldn't recall buying Len clothes recently. She thought about her father buying Len's clothes and she almost cackled at the asinine thought.

"Better than yesterday." Len called. He walked up to Rin's door while pacing nervously. "I hope he's not too hard on you tonight, especially with the fish-"

"It's fine, Len. Don't even think about it." Rin fastened her hair into a ponytail. "I'm done." She threw her door open and appeared before Len as his carbon copy. Rin threw her clothes at Len. "Put them on. He saw me in those clothes today before he left for work."

"T-thanks, Rin."

Rin frowned at her skirt, nestled in Len's arms. She briefly wondered how long it would be until Len would have to shave his legs. Thankfully, he was a late bloomer. "I'm going to take out the noodles. Hopefully that's done so he can stuff his face with that if he finds the fish too unappetizing. Do you want me to bring you up a small bowl before he gets home?"

"I'll just take whatever he doesn't finish."

"I doubt there will be a lot left."

"Maybe you can make that stir fried rice like mom used to make? If, y'know, you're fine afterwards?"

"I'm sure I can." Rin smiled. It was a _mother_ request. She was afraid of the emotional storm that would ensue if she denied Len the stir fried vegetables their mother use to make before she became a living vegetable herself.

"I have to drain the noodles out before his fat ass gets home."

Len grinned before nodding nervously. "Just before he gets home."

She raced down the stairs and smiled at the smell of the noodles. She drained them and pushed her head out of the cloud of water vapor that had wrapped itself around her head as she dumped the hot water into the sink and into the plastic colander.

_'Hopefully this is good enough._'

Rin rushed to put down a plate and utensils for her father. She put the fish and noodles onto his plate, covering the burnt pieces of the fish with the noodles. She placed other condiments in front of his dish, ensuring that he had everything he needed in order to stuff his face to his heart's content. She put a glass on the table, dried her hands on a cloth, and sighed with relief. She put a lid over the steaming pot of noodles that were leftover in the pot. She heard her stomach grumble, feeling the rumble shake her stomach, and looked at the noodles longingly.

'_I haven't eaten since lunch._'

She slowly lifted the lid up to release the leftover steam from inside the pot. Her stomach screeched again.

'_Fuck it. I'll hear him when he gets home._'

She darted to grab a pair of chopsticks and raced to the pot. She frowned before her utensils could touch the hot food.

'_Len needs to eat first._'

She groaned reluctantly and retrieved a bowl to pour the noodles in.

_Slam_

The sound of the car door almost sent Rin's heart flying out of her chest. She silently shrieked hastily threw the bowl on the counter and threw the lid over the pot. She grabbed the bowl from underneath and a searing burn entrenched her hand. She nearly sobbed when her burnt hand released the bowl and let it shatter all over the ground. She stared at it silently, with one thought racing through her head:

'_No._'

But there was nothing to do by that point. She heard the front door slam and heavy footsteps slam into the kitchen.

"What the fuck?"

The harsh voice seared into her ears. She cringed.

'_Why am I so stupid?_'

A heavy hand clasped the back of her head and she was forced to look down at the shattered bowl.

"What did you do this time?"

Rin gulped unconsciously at the growl. "I dropped it." She muttered quietly.

"I can fucking see that."

He roughly let go of her head and instead latched onto her hair. Rin groaned.

"You're looking like a faggot, growing your hair out like a fucking mop."

He roughly let go, letting her stumble from his grasp. Rin quickly regained her balance, not risking the chance of falling on her ass. Her stoic face hid the rapid sound of her heartbeat. She watched him stomp over to his dinner.

"Clean it up while I eat, or I'll make you eat that off the floor."

"Yes, sir."

He was a time bomb now. There had already been two strikes: first was the shattered bowl, and then it was her 'gay' hair. Strike three would be the fish. The fact that he was hungry enough to still hit her made the situation worse. Most of the time, he'd throw a few slurs at her and go straight to his food. Tonight, burnt fish would mean a black eye for her, and it could have been avoided if she _hadn't been so fucking clumsy._ She could only wait now. She silently went to retrieve a dust pan and a broom, and returned with complete reluctance, cleaning her mess while waiting for her father to finish his food so she could clean up after him (like the baby he was).

"Rin burnt the damn fish." He muttered bitterly. Rin felt his eyes on her and she shivered.

"That was my fault." At least Len could take the blame for that one.

"Since when the hell did I let you touch my food?" He stood up and Rin set her eyes to the floor, wringing her hands together anxiously.

"I was helping her. I left the fish in the oven for too long by accident."

"Cooking is your sister's job and you goddamn know it. Whatever you do, you seem to fuck it up. At least Rin knows how to make herself useful. You're just useless." He snarled while stuffing a heaping of noodles into his mouth, gnashing the food loudly.

She quietly finished picking up the broken pieces of the bowl. She threw it in the garbage.

"Are you ignoring me?"

"No, sir."

"Might as well throw this shit out, since you tainted it."

"I'm sorry."

"You better damn be sorry. The least you can do is clean up." The heavy man sneered.

"Yes, sir." She picked up the plate and gripped onto it tightly. Her damaged body depended on it.

She listened to him fume while she cleaned up after him. She heard him take the lid off of the pot and examine the noodles, and she ignored his muttering of how the 'useless brat' probably contaminated them, too. She heard him mutter and sputter some more before he opened the fridge.

"Where the fuck is it?"

She began washing the dishes. She stared at the wooden cabinet blankly.

'_God God God please don't blame me._'

She heard something rumble to the ground. She stared at her father bizarrely as he began to sift through the garbage from the can that he had kicked to the ground. Suddenly, he lifted a ball of tinfoil up. His hand clenched it fiercely, his face demonstrating a rage even stronger than his clenched fist.

"Get over here."

His toxic voice made Rin stand still.

"Get over here!" He screamed.

And she walked over, letting him shove the ball of tinfoil into her face.

"You ate my fucking leftovers from last night!" He threw the ball at her.

She was able to dodge it, but in the process his hand wrapped around her arm, squeezing it. She didn't attempt to defend herself; Strike three had occurred.

"Why don't you fucking listen? I pay for your fucking bills to keep your useless ass alive every month and this is what you do to me?"

She felt herself being rattled violently, but her brain refused to partake in the event. It went blank, hiding itself from the situation. Even when she felt herself hit the cold tile, her mind didn't register it. The searing, pounding pain that catapulted onto her stomach made her whimper and grind her teeth, but she didn't need to think about it. She didn't need to think about this right now, as the black and blue would remind her later. After all, this was Len's problem. It wasn't her who mistakenly ate the leftovers; It wasn't her getting kicked in the gut; It wasn't her that was being lifted off the floor and shrieked at for being a worthless child; It wasn't her that was choking as her father's hand forced itself down her throat as he attempted to squeeze her tonsils; It wasn't her vomiting up her food as punishment. It definitely wasn't.

But it was her (save for the missing leftovers, perhaps), staring at gunk the color of oatmeal that spread across the yellowed tile floor, gasping for breath for her starved lungs.

"Clean this shit up."

When the sound of heavy feet disappeared, she collapsed onto the floor. She heaved quietly and shut her eyes.

'_It's over now. Come on, hurry up and don't cry and just clean up. It'll get better, tonight was just a bad incident. Get up get up get up._'

She did as she was told.

* * *

_Knock knock_

The door opened quickly, with Len's pale face brightening at his sister's presence.

"R-Rin, you made the stir fry!"

"Of course I did." She walked in stiffly, letting Len shut his bedroom door. She noticed him in his comfortable clothes again. She let Len lay down on his bed. She sat on the end of the mattress.

"Did he say anything to you?" Rin asked.

"He told me- well, tell 'you', that don't let me touch his food ever again," He sighed, "because I'm a fuck-up."

"Sorry, Len. I tried."

"I heard him screaming earlier. Did he...hit you?" Len asked quietly.

"A little bit. I'm fine."

(Concealer did wonders for her bruised face.)

He looked at Rin and frowned as he looked as the red mark on her left arm. "That had to hurt."

"It would have hurt you more."

"It would have." Len began to eat his food, chewing loudly. Even though her hunger was stolen from her, his obnoxious, loud chewing crushed her lingering appetite.

"Is it good?" Rin stared at a picture of Len and their mother on his dresser.

"Good, but not as good as mom use to make. Some of the vegetables aren't cooked thoroughly either."

She clenched her teeth again but smiled.

'_There's no point in yelling at him._'

"I tried my best."

"Did you get to eat?" Len took a small sip of his tea.

"Of course I did!" She chirped. The pulsing pain around her abdomen objected. She watched Len cringe and his lips pucker. "What's wrong?"

"The tea! It's too bitter. How many sugar cubes did you put in?"

"Two."

"I told you that I take three now." Len pouted. He noticed Rin's empty expression. "You don't have to get me a sugar cube. I-I'm sorry, Rin, I just wanted a little more sugar, please don't be mad."

'_He's my baby..._'

Rin unconsciously let her eye twitch.

'_He's so weak..._'

She cleared her throat to swallow up the pain and push it back into her stomach.

'_Protect him..._'

"I'm not mad." Rin leaned out towards her brother and ruffled his hair, grinning enthusiastically to hide the grinding pain in her chest.

"I'm too old for that!" Len complained. He pushed Rin's hand away and sighed, annoyed. "Stop trying to be like mom, Rin, it never works."

"Right. My bad." Rin giggled and hugged him. "That doesn't mean I can't love you, though."

"If you loved me, you'd get me more sugar." He grumbled while pushing her away with the strength of a moth.

"Right on it! I have to take the recycling out, and then I'll get it for you."

"Fine." Len groaned. He laid his bowl on his bedside drawer and huffed as he lay down again. "Just be quick this time. It took you, like, ten minutes to get me ice cream the other day."

"I'll be just a minute!"

"Oh, hey, was the leftover sandwich in the fridge yours? I ate it earlier, and it didn't have a name on it, so I figured..."

Rin stopped at the door, facing the stairway. She sighed. "No. It was dad's."

"...oops," Was all Len had to say before sinking into his mattress again and playing his video games.

Rin walked out of the room. With a calm smile on her face, a smile too calm for her current predicament, she picked up the recycling bin with the same eerily pleasant expression planted on her face. She gripped the bin with her right hand while she had her left balled up intensely. She put the bin outside and planted it on the curb. She went to rub the dirt off of her and brushed in onto her skirt. Her palm suddenly stung; she quivered at the smear of blood on her skirt.

'_Well, that's going to be a pain in the ass to get out with detergent, wont it?_'

She lifted up her left palm and stared at the four bloody marks in her palm, her yellow painted fingernails smeared with red. She slapped her hands against her thighs and stared up at the black sky.

'_What am I doing with my life?_'

She moved her fingers around slightly as the blood dried on her hand. She shut her yes and let her eyelids face the stars.

'_I can just run away now, run away, and that would be the end of it. Don't you care about me, mom? Don't you?_'

But what could she do? She was just a weak girl who could barely defend herself from her father, and who else was going to protect Len? What would she do if he died? That would be on her. She wasn't cruel enough to commit something so malicious as abandoning her ill-hearted brother. She knew deep down that he loved her, even if he couldn't understand, even if his words pierced into her heart more often that her father's. He just didn't understand because of his illness, that was all. The medicine made his brain funky sometimes. This wasn't him at all. She'd have to ask the doctor if she could find better medicine for him, even if she had to spend this week's paycheck to do so.

This was her promise to her mother, to keep Len safe from harm, and she couldn't break a promise, even if her mother never seemed to have enough love to give to her. No, she loved her. Rin vowed to keep Len safe for her. She would be free someday.

A car blaring music at an obnoxiously high volume sped down the road, plucking Rin away from her thoughts. She stared at the sky again, gazing at it tiredly, wondering when it was her and her brother's turn to enjoy paradise. With a great heave of reluctance, she obediently followed the concrete path to the front door.

* * *

**Guys I have a sore throat sobsobsob**

**I debated posting this but since everyone likes to see the twins suffer I was like 'why the FUCK not?' Even though I kinda took care of that with Len in **_**Scorned **_**(My other fanfic which I need to start writing part 2 for, hahaha…), Rin gets to be slapped around now! I'll never understand why the hell everyone hates Rin here on , you guys are jerks to her. Jeez. And Len gets to be a raging asshole in this story even though he's sick because fuck not all sick people are kind/compassionate/thankful. I would fucking know bc I've taken care of sick family members in the past and some were complete douchnozzles even while they were bedridden and helpless so yeah.**

**The next chapter gets intense yo so get your fucking reading glasses on and I'm drowsy because of Spanish cold medicine.**

**I'm going to regret this btw no twincest you disgusting teenaged perverts. Enjoy your weekend, kiddies. BYE.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is extremely long and if I bore you to death I'm so sorry ;3; but enjoy...**

* * *

"That English test today was awful."

Rin listened to Miku, keeping her voice in the back of her mind as she shelved books. They sat together on the wine-red carpeted floor, a stack of books standing beside them both.

"It was okay," Rin said. She knew she bombed it, but it didn't bother her as much as her bruised abdomen did. Len's words didn't help her ease her throbbing mind, either.

'_Stop trying to be like mom, Rin..._'

"I know, I know..." Rin muttered to herself as she shoved a book onto its shelf.

"What?"

"Huh?" Rin looked at Miku with confusion.

"You said 'I know'. You know what?"

"Ugh, sorry, I was up all last night." Rin unconsciously placed her hand on her stomach. "I don't even know what I'm saying." Her weary eyes trailed down to her hand, the inside of her palm slightly red from when she burnt it the previous night.

"Doing homework? Studying for that dumb as English test?" Miku looked at a book and skimmed through it with interest.

"Eh, cramps, I guess you could say."

"Aw, so that's why you were in a mood last night!" Miku said sympathetically. "Mother Nature strikes again." She shoved the book back onto her shelf and saw Rin's hand on her stomach from out of the corner of her eye.

"Do you need some pain relievers?"

Rin's eyes lit up like a lightbulb. "That'd...actually be great, if you have ibuprofen."

"Sure do! It's in my backpack."

"I love you, Miku." Rin almost cried. There were no more pain relievers in her house, which led to her suffering all night. She hoped that Meiko would give her check to her soon so she could purchase more.

Miku got up to fetch the medicine. Rin felt her lips tug into a smile for the first time that day. She wished she could trust Miku more, but she could never tell her about last night, about her food getting forced out of her as her father yanked at her tonsils. Miku wouldn't believe her anyway.

"This essay is fucking stupid."

"I know. I can find all my sources on the Internet for this essay! I can't believe that old bitch wants us to use a book as a source."

Rin's lips puckered at the obnoxious voices. Her disgust for the voices grew when she noticed their familiarity. She attempted to lift herself up from the floor to tell both girls off, but she quickly came back down to the floor as bursts of fire ran through her abdomen.

'_I can't get involved. I can't lose this job either, or else I'll lose _his_ second income, and then Len and I are completely screwed._' She thought grimly. '_Maybe I should try ripping my ears off instead so I don't have to listen to them._'

"I hope she drops dead."

"Just imagine if she just 'fell' down a flight of stairs?"

"That'd be great. Then we wouldn't have to do this stupid project!"

The two girls, stationed in the fiction section of the library, moaned and groaned until Rin had enough with their squawking. She carefully climbed back onto her feet and began to stomp over until she heard another sharp voice interrupt the high pitched squealing of the others'.

"This is a library, not a shopping mall! Get a book, or get out!"

'_I love you, Meiko._' Rin giggled to herself. She heard the light yet authoritative footsteps walk away. The whispers ensued.

"What a bitch. Doesn't she know that she shouldn't yell in a library?"

The girls giggled noisily.

"She needs to be thrown down some stairs, too."

That was their last warning. Ignoring the screaming pain that nearly made her faint, Rin managed to stomp over to them as quickly as a bull would. Rin dragged herself in front of them, glaring at the girls aggressively.

"She said be quiet. I'm sorry if that's a concept that you can't understand." Rin hissed. She glared at the teenagers. They laughed.

"Oh, hi, Rin!" Rin watched Mayu grin with malevolent interest. "You work here? How cute!" She pronounced loudly. "I didn't know that you were a bookworm!"

"I said to please be quiet," Rin said sternly.

"B-but, if you chase us away in the library, that'd hinder our opportunity to read, and that would impede our learning!" Cul mimicked a pout of disappointment.

"I'm not kicking you out. Just be quiet, don't be sarcastic, and get a book."

"I thought that hag was the librarian? Hmm, you do have more wrinkles than her, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone mistook you for a librarian."

"I'm _thirteen_, not thirty." Rin scowled at them, leaning herself against a shelf to help hold her up and to relieve her quivering pain. She winced as she accidentally clenched her sore abdomen. "My hair doesn't have any gray strands in it, either. You really should be careful with your hair, Mayu, considering how often you bleach it."

"It's all natural!" Mayu nearly shrieked, pulling at the ends of her hair.

"That won't help it, either."

"Rin, what's going-" Miku halted herself at the sight of the girls and sighed. "They're actually in a library? Don't they need to know how to read before they can get a book?"

"Cul, don't." Mayu demanded. She hastily held Cul back from jumping onto Miku. An angry frown formed on Cul's lips as she clutched her fists.

Rin jumped in front of Miku. "Find a book or leave."

"Then leave us alone." Mayu snarled.

Miku desperately tried to pull Rin away by her arm. "Rin, don't piss off Meiko, we still have to finish shelving."

"Alright." Rin grunted with a deadly glare towards the two other teenagers. They turned their backs just as Cul began to taunt them.

"I hope that new book smell is toxic." Cul leered.

"It's only toxic to those who don't know how to spell 'book'." Rin flew herself around again to grimace at Cul.

Cul growled. "At least I'm not as stupid as your brother!" She shrieked.

Rin felt the heat rush to her head. She almost decided that smacking Cul with a dictionary was worth more than her job until a shadow cast over them.

"No, that's enough."

Miku and Rin immediately scrambled away from Meiko as they felt the heat of her eyes burn into their backs. Meiko stomped over to Cul and Mayu, her eyes flaming with unrestrained rage.

"Your library privileges have been revoked. Get out."

Miku and Rin had trotted back to the shelf as they listened to Cul sneer.

"Pffffft, whatever-"

"Get. Out."

Cul muttered a few expletives under her breath before relenting. "Fine. Let's get the hell out of here, Mayu."

There were only a few more angered murmurs before Rin heard the door slam. She bit her lip and continued shelving books. She looked down when Meiko returned.

"If those brats return, tell me so I can call the police on them for harassment."

"Alright, Meiko. Thank you."

Meiko nodded sternly. She then offered Rin a sympathetic glance. "Don't listen to what those fools have to say, Rin."

Rin reciprocated Meiko's words with a sly smile. "I never do. I don't want to risk getting an ear infection from their word vomit."

Meiko flashed Rin a grin before she walked back to her desk, leaving both girls in a fit of laughter.

"Some people just speak because they feel that they have to say something." Miku shook her head.

"That's why I said that I never listen to them." Rin sat down again and sighed with relief. "Do you have the pills?"

"Oh darn, I almost forgot about them." She quickly plucked two blue pills out of her shirt pocket and revealed them to Rin.

"Thanks." Rin quickly built up saliva in her mouth, and then swallowed the pills with ease.

"How can you just swallow them without drinking something with them? You could have choked."

"I'd rather choke to death than deal with this fucking pain." Rin groaned as she rubbed her sore stomach. "I'm use to taking pills dry."

"Eugh, that's so weird.' Miku shivered at the thought of choking on two minuscule pills.

'_You get used to it when you're forbidden to eat or drink when he wants the kitchen to himself after a 'long day' at work._' Rin didn't doubt that she did more work in the library than her father did at the register at his moldy convenient store. She had only been in it once, and there was definitely nothing convenient about it. It was cramped and damp, with a prominent, lingering mildew scent. She didn't know what was so 'special' about a store that he cherished more than his own children.

"What time is it?" Rin asked.

"Five fifteen. Let's get this done so we can leave on time."

The time went quicker than Rin had anticipated. When it was time to leave, they said their farewells to Meiko and left.

"Fuck, it's cold." A sharp breeze slapped Rin's cheek as she pushed open the door. She held it open for Miku.

"Thanks. If you knew it was going to be this cold, why didn't you wear a heavier jacket?"

"I don't have any other jackets, and this one usually keeps me warm." Rin tugged at the hoodie of her light jacket.

"There's a hole in the back." Miku eyed the orange plaid coat distastefully. Rin frowned self-consciously. "I have a bunch of coats if you need one."

Rin frowned. "I'll be buried in any of the coats you give me, considering I'm half of your height."

"Nah, you're more like three-fourths of my height." Miku giggled. "I can buy you one! I wouldn't mind shopping for you!"

"Miku, don't even think of-"

Rin became deafened by a deafening high pitched squeal. She hastily found Miku crouched over, forced into a headlock, with a hand grasped firmly around one of her teal pigtails. Rin found herself staring directly into Mayu's dark eyes. Her fingers tightened.

"Get off of her, you fucking psychopath!" She lunged for Mayu. The platinum haired girl grinned, even as Rin tried to make her attack.

She suddenly couldn't breathe. A flash of red coated her vision. Rin found herself smacking straight into the concrete ground as Miku's screams rattled in her eardrums.

"You're just as pathetic as your brother." Rin heard the disgusted voice ring through her ears. She couldn't remember who said it- whether it was Cul or Mayu, she couldn't remember, but the ibuprofen had delivered its relief too late. The fire in her stomach had finally consumed her.

* * *

Everything was white. Just a bright, irritating white.

'_I'm dead._'

Rin didn't know whether to laugh or cry over the fact that Cul had killed her. At least she couldn't be beaten every night any longer, which had to be a plus. She had left Len behind, though. She broke her promise.

'_Sorry, mom._' Rin thought apologetically. She waited for her mother's presence, waiting for her to yell at her or do whatever angels did when they went to discipline someone. She assumed she was in Heaven. If she happened to be in Satan's territory, she would still take that over her mortal life. What made her think she'd make it into Heaven in the first place? She broke her mother's promise, and now her brother was going to die because of her.

'_Sorry, mom._' Rin repeated. No response.

'_Sorry- ow!_'

The whiteness quickly washed away. She found herself staring at bright yellow lights and a tiled ceiling.

"Oops, sorry, dear."

Rin faced the woman at her right, as she held a clear tube that had one end positioned into her veins and the other end in a clear bag.

'_Oh no._'

"I bumped into your IV machine and I nearly yanked the IV out of your veins. That would have been a bloody mess- literally." The woman giggled, but stopped herself to look at Rin seriously. "Do you know where you are, hun?"

Rin took a long pause to double check of her surroundings, and then for a third time. She slowly looked down at her hands, and gazed at the plastic bracelet wrapped around her right wrist. "The hospital." Rin admitted, her voice nothing more than a quiver.

"I guess the IV was enough of a clue. Do you know how you ended up in here?"

She recalled Miku's screams and she gasped. "Is Miku okay?"

"Dear, can you recall what happened?"

"No, Miku, what happened to her?"

Mayu was holding Miku in a headlock, eager to choke her. Cul's twisted face. Then Len's face appeared, his bloody face melting itself into her mind.

"My brother, oh God..."

Rin looked at her wrists again and almost screamed. "Where's the bracelet? _My_ bracelet? Not this stupid hospital shit!" Rin began to tug the bracelet off, ripping at it with her fingernails.

"You need to calm down."

Rin shot her head back and Miriam and wailed. "They're dead, they're dead, aren't they?! Aren't-" She gasped when she was pinched.

"I'm sorry, dear, but you need to relax now."

"That's ...okay." She suddenly felt fuzzy. She laid back into her bed.

"Can you tell me your name, dear?"

"Kagamine Rin." She slurred.

"Good."

* * *

Rin opened her eyes. She gulped, but doing so only irritated her dry throat. She blinked a few more times. She saw the same nurse standing by her side, patting her hand affectionately. Disturbed, Rin pulled her hand away.

"Good morning, dear."

"...morning?"

"The sedative knocked you out for the rest of the night. I think it helped, you look a lot better. How do you feel, Rin?"

"You shouldn't have asked that." Rin felt pain shoot up into every muscle of her body and nearly wailed.

"We'll get you some more pain relievers." The nurse picked up the clipboard attached to her bed and looked through the several papers attached.

"Was I run over?" Rin wouldn't have been surprised if Cul did manage to hot-wire a car to run her over with. Or Mayu- whoever managed to beat the shit out of her.

"I have the list of injuries you sustained, if you're curious."

"Shoot." Rin closed her eyes.

'_How could I let this happen?_'

"A split forehead, severe bruising- especially on the ribs and abdomen-, and as well as two fractured ribs. The bruising was rather problematic, which is why you were kept overnight. A few more punches, and you could have risked internal bleeding. Also, it'll hurt to move with the fractured ribs."

"Oh."

'_Let her go!_'

"Miku!"

'_No no no I couldn't have killed Miku, anyone but Miku no no no taken either_-'

"D-do you know what happened to Miku?" Rin pleaded. "Please tell me. Please!"

The nurse avoided Rin's eyes as she scanned the room uneasily. "She's not dead."

"Thank God." Rin breathed.

"She's in a coma."

Rin suddenly choked on her breath and sat in silence as any relief that she felt was expunged from her body. Her hands trembled as her mind searched for an answer. Miriam offered a sad sigh.

"After you were...'tossed aside'- I think that's the best way to say it- they attacked her. She sustained multiple head injuries. There is a chance of recovery, but it's too early to tell if she'll have any damage to her brain. I'm sorry. This was not your fault of any kind, Rin. A pedestrian- a good Samaritan, I should say- saved the both of you and held off both girls until the police came and arrested them."

"Who?" Rin choked. She gazed up at the ceiling and attempted to evaporate any tears threatening to spill over her face with the bright lights hanging above her.

"A boy, who's actually around your age. Kaito Shion, I believe. I wouldn't be surprised if he visited you today- as long as you're fine with it."

'_Why?_'

"Rin, are you alright? You're getting pale again..."

"Yeah, sure, I'm fine with it, just...please tell me if my brother is alright?" Rin clutched her forehead with her right hand, squeezing her eyes tightly in the hope that she was still dreaming.

The nurse blinked, puzzled. "I'm sure he's alright. I'm sure he'll come to visit soon, but that's another thing that needs to be discussed." The nurse gazed at Rin pitifully.

'_Fuck. No, no, they couldn't have found out._'

The nurse sat next to Rin and held her hand.

"Can I just have some water?" Rin wheezed painfully.

The nurse did so, and Rin gulped it down, feeling her throat begin to open up again.

"Ready?"

"No, but you're going to ask me anyway." Rin muttered. She blinked. "Wait, no, one more thing." The nurse took back the plastic cup and set it aside, then looked at the girl again urgently.

"M-my bracelet."

The nurse nodded quickly. "Yes, of course."

The nurse walked to the small table behind her and lifted up the small accessory. She rolled the rounded beads in her hand as she walked up to Rin, and then gave it back to her. The girl sighed happily and slipped it back onto her left wrist. Rin nodded and let Miriam begin her interrogation.

"All of us here are here to help you, Rin. It's obvious that you care deeply for your brother, and that you don't want him to be harmed. You don't need to live in fear, Rin."

Rin cringed. '_Stop talking._'

"When the doctor observed your injuries, he noticed some bruises that weren't as fresh as the ones you sustained during the attack. In fact, your abdomen was already heavily bruised. Those two girls didn't go after that point on your body as much as they did to other areas of your body."

"Yes, they did."

"Rin," The nurse looked at Rin seriously, "we think that there is a bigger issue that we don't know about."

"Who's 'we'?" Rin snapped.

"All the staff here, including me. Your personal safety is in great jeopardy if we can't help you, Rin."

"You never even told me your name."

"Miriam."

"That doesn't sound Japanese."

"That's because I'm not Japanese? I'm from England."

"O-oh." She failed to realize the woman's light hair and rounded eyes. "Sorry, ma'am."

"Let's not get off topic, hun. Could you tell me how your school life is?"

'_Better than asking about my home life._'

"It's...average, I guess," Rin said. "My grades are fine and I have friends. Miku was my best friend. My brother, though-"

"Though what?"

Rin shrugged reluctantly. "He's not considered 'smart' like everyone else, even though he- he's not as dumb as people try to make him out to be. People like to pick on him, especially because he's weak. He has a heart condition."

Rin realized that Miriam had been scribbling notes. The woman looked up at her. "What kind?"

"It's complicated. My mother was diagnosed with a severe bone deficiency a few years after we were born. Len was born with his heart condition, though. I left the hospital after a few days while he was in the hospital for two months. They didn't think he'd live. I think he had a really small hole in his heart or some kind of lesion. I-I don't remember, but they got the hole or whatever it was to heal. My mom bonded with him more, though. She was at the hospital twenty four-seven with him. She threw a party when he was first brought home."

"You sound a bit melancholic about it?"

"I'm glad he's alive. Why wouldn't I be? He's my twin brother. When we were put in the crib together for the first time, we talked. Not like actual talking, but making those stupid baby noises. My mom put it on tape." Rin almost smiled at the thought, but she rubbed her cheeks to erase the foolish smile from her face.

"I wasn't accusing you about that, dear. You just seemed more upset with your mother."

Rin stretched her neck and sighed as she stared through the window, trying to look through the pasty clouds. "When she died, she had me promise her that I'd keep Len safe. He was her 'baby'."

"And what were you to her?"

"Her daughter." Rin scoffed, offended by the suggestion of being considered anything less to her. "She loved me, too. She gave me this bracelet." Rin held up her left wrist, twisting it slightly to highlight the blue beads. "That's the only thing I have left of her. And when Len and I wanted to go to Disney, she convinced my dad to take us up in Tokyo when we were five. She deserved a medal for that, because my dad wasn't willing to spend that much money for a vacation. That was before she went downhill. She became closer with Len when she became really sick. They could relate to each other. I helped take care of them."

"Did your father help?"

"Sure, he helped by putting her on bed rest for the rest of her life." Rin said bitterly. Rin suddenly couldn't stop herself from spewing out her bitterness that had been engaged inside of her for so long. She clenched her sheets and remembered that she couldn't tell Miriam too much.

"He and the doctors thought that was the best thing for her, even though she was still working at a local pharmacy. She was still somewhat kicking. The stimulation kept her alive, talking to people and sorting pills and all that. Then she was taken out of work, so instead, her mind was left to rot away while she was stuck in an empty room with little interaction- save for Len. She died five months later. Len and I were twelve."

"That's a shame." Miriam murmured. "Sorry to hear that."

"It is what it is. Geez, I diverted from what we were talking about again. It was something about Len's heart-"

"School, I believe."

"Right, yeah. I said that people like to bust his balls and do stupid stuff to him that could make him sicker." Rin rubbed her temple with frustration. "I try to follow mom's word and protect him, and Mayu and Cul- the girls who beat the shit out of me- like to make his life a living hell. I chased them away with scissors the other day after I threatened to cut their hair."

Miriam snickered and covered her mouth. "I'm not commending you for that."

"Then they came to the library I work at, made a ruckus, which led to them getting kicked out. Then they grabbed me and Miku when we tried to get home." Rin frowned. "I could have best the shit out of them, but as soon as my head hit the ground..."

"The story connects well with what occurred. I would assume you're pressing charges against Mayu and Cul?"

Rin sighed. "I don't think I could afford a lawyer."

"You can be assisted with that issue. Your family has been contacted, too, including your father and brother. Hopefully, they'll visit."

Rin's throat went dry. She clutched her sheets again, digging so deep that the marks in her palms from digging in deep threatened to reopen. "You never got me more pain medication."

"Oh, bloody hell. Stupid me, I'm so sorry."

The drugs were administered to her as soon as Miriam retrieved them. Rin closed her eyes as the pain subsided.

"I'm sincerely sorry about that."

"It's fine. Maybe the drugs will help me relax."

"I still need to talk to you about school, Rin."

"What else is there?"

"How often do these bullying incidents occur?"

"Not often, because everyone else knows not to mess with me." Rin puffed her chest outwards. "It still doesn't stop people from teasing Len behind my back, though. It hasn't been as bad recently, but Mayu and Cul only persist everything."

"Hopefully their arrest will open some of your peers' eyes."

Rin smiled at hearing about their arrest, but the smile fell again as she thought more into it. "Doubtful. I don't want Len to be blamed."

"I admire your selflessness when it comes to him." Miriam nodded. She continued scribbling on her clipboard.

"I care, that's all there is to it. There's no one else to care for him." Rin muttered.

"What about your father?"

'_Hopefully dead from a heart attack so he couldn't touch Len._'

"He works a lot. He's a workaholic."

'_And a deadbeat. And an asshole._'

"Len goes for a lot of checkups and takes a lot of special meds. It's not cheap."

"Definitely not." Miriam quipped. "Let me check your bandages and your bruises."

Rin let Miriam pull up her nightgown (and to her relief, she still had underwear on) to looked at her stomach. Rin clenched her teeth.

"I'll be quick. Do you see how bad the bruising is?"

Her stomach was black and purple. Rin thought of violet flowers that were fresh in bloom, except Rin knew that her bruises were the farthest thing from beautiful, dainty flowers.

"Which leads to the question I wasn't able to ask earlier: how severely are you antagonized at school? There bruises right under your ribs definitely did not come from the attack from last night."

"I get into some brawls now and then, but it's worth it for Len." Rin smiled, only for Miriam to exchange a pitiful stare.

"Don't feel bad. I do it for Len to make sure that no one screws with him."

"This is extreme, Miss Kagamine, along with the bruises we found on your back. If you're getting yourself into this many tumbles-"

"Most of these bruises were my fault. If I wasn't so dumb and if I didn't threaten anyone else, I would be fine."

"You can't blame yourself-"

"But how are received these injuries were my fault. I was dumb enough to piss off others with my stupidity and that's the price I pay."

Miriam frowned. "You certainly aren't dumb." She glanced at the black watch on her wrist and sighed. "I have to leave for a while. I won't persist, but, the boy who managed to catch you and Miss Hatsune is bound to visit soon. I'm sure you'll like him- if you'd still like him to visit-"

"Sure." Rin sighed miserably. "Thank you."

"Just hit the button if you need anything."

"I will." Rin glanced at the remote attached to a beige cord, titling into the armrest of the bed. Miriam walked out, and Rin collapsed onto her bed.

Rin couldn't decide which problem was worse: the issue that she now owed her life to a boy she probably didn't know, the horrendous fact that her father was most likely going to kill Len, or the fact that Miku was likely going to die because of her. Rin shivered and slowly curled up into herself, throwing her arms around her knees while digging her head into her lap. Her fingernails dug into her pale flesh as Rin resisted any urge to scream or cry. She didn't deserve to cry; she was only the antagonist in this plot between her, Cul, and Mayu, instigating them to the point of complete violence; the culprit of her friend's coma; the cause of her brother's draining hourglass; and the lazy damsel in distress.

'_You couldn't do it, you weak girl, huh? You weren't strong enough, and now everyone is fucked because of you._'

Rin rubbed her dry, red eyes, blue irises clashing with bloodshot roots. She unfolded herself as the pain in her ribcage became too much, and slowly laid herself back onto her bed. She gazed at the window and briefly wondered how many stories she was from the concrete ground.

'_Don't even think that. You don't even deserve to die._'

* * *

All three situations had Rin's skin crawling for hours, making her wish that her skin was only an exoskeleton that she could rip off. Despite being locked onto her bed and being monitored constantly by people in scrubs, she knew that she had to leave. She knew deep down that her brother was more important than her. She'd find out sooner or later who she owed her soul to, right? Rin could only pray that her cat fight with Mayu and Cul didn't spread onto the daily news, but prayers always did jack shit for her. No one responded for her silent pleas for mercy while her father smashed his fist into her lower back. How would anyone know, anyway? Nobody she knew was a mind reader.

This wasn't about her in the first place. Rin knew that. She had to save her brother from _him_. The image of her brother's skull being split into pieces by one swing of her father's fist was almost enough to determine Rin to jump off of her bed and run back home. Only her bruised organs were preventing that. If Len was alive when she returned home, he had every right to crucify her providing that their father didn't do it first.

"Rin, you have a visitor!" Miriam walked in with pep in her step, but her excitement was toned down by Rin's sullen glance. "This is the boy who saved you!"

'_Saved you._'

Rin's stomach nearly lurched out of her mouth.

"Rin, you've gone white? Hun, you don't have to let him in if you don't want to, but- he's genuinely concerned about your well-being. If that's not a love story if I've seen one-"

"Thanks, Miriam." Rin sighed. '_Might as well let my savior come and sweep me off my feet and take me away from this nightmare, no? Because that would solve all of my problems! Ugh. Some stupid boy couldn't have_-'

"O-oh geez..."

The person who had appeared in the doorway quickly bounced back into the hallway in a millisecond.

"S-sorry for that!"

"That's alright, dear! You can come in soon." Miriam smiled and pointed at the doorway with a mischievous grin. "You don't see guys like him every-"

"Just let him in." Rin drawled, annoyed.

"You'll like him when you see him. Kaito, you can stop hiding now."

Rin noticed the flowers at first. They were roses, completely pink and plush with fragrance. She wondered how much he paid to get her flowers. Her eyes traveled over to his face and she blinked out of confusion.

'_He actually looks...concerned? Why?_'

"Hello, Rin." The boy offered a smile. "It's great to-"

His hips abruptly collided with her lunch tray, spilling everything onto the floor. There was a frantic movement to clean up the spilt orange juice and the salad that had littered itself all over.

"I'm so stupid-"

"Accidents happen, Kaito!" Miriam chirped. "Rin, get back in bed, you're hurt!"

Rin sighed and leaned back in bed while the mess was cleaned up for her. She squirmed uncomfortably. "That was my fault, not yours." Rin claimed. "I shouldn't have left the tray right there."

"It's just a silly old tray." Miriam mused as she finished cleaning up the spilt food. Kaito pushed the tray away. "I'll take that with me before I go, dear, thanks."

"Alright."

Miriam giggled. "I think I'll do it right now."

"You're going to leave him in here with me alone? Are you actually a certified nurse?" Rin's eyesight became doused with crimson.

"I-It'll just be a second!" Miriam held up her hands in defense. "I'm sure that Kaito would not do anything to hurt you."

Rin looked up at the oblivious Kaito, who had begun tugging at a loose string on his shirt. He tugged at it repeatedly, making it bounce.

'_And_ he _saved me_?'

"Right, Kaito?"

"Wuh? Oh, yeah, sure! I'll stay with her in case she needs anything!"

"I'll return in a jiffy." Miriam smiled and waved before pushing the tray away with her.

Rin scowled. '_Wonderful._'

"Uh, Rin? I hope you like these flowers..."

The bouquet of roses was stuffed into her face. Rin gagged at the sudden scent but took them out of gratitude, holding in a violent sneeze. The sudden pain surrounding her ribs helped her hold the sneeze in.

"Th-they're nice. Thanks." Rin sniffled.

"I went all over to find something right." Kaito quipped nervously. "I know it's weird of me to come over today, but I figured, to check up on you- well, since everyone seems to be more concerned about Miku- n-not to say no one cares about you, but-"

Rin stared at the flowers, almost amused. They weren't cheap flowers, either. Someone actually took time out from their schedule to get something for her? "You didn't have to. Seriously."

She realized that she probably had to thank him for saving her life, too.

"Thanks for preventing me from dying...? That sounds about right?" Rin's lips formed a tight smile. "I'm grateful, honestly. I thought I was dead for a while."

'_Even though I'd rather be dead..._'

"I didn't really save you in a much as I threatened to call the cops. Then they threatened to throw stones at me. For two small girls, I didn't think they could hit me, but..." Kaito lifted his thick blue bangs off of his forehead to reveal a white bandage.

'_God dammit, I hurt him._'

"They nicked me. I didn't realize what they were doing until I saw you and Miku on the ground. I kind of freaked and I somehow managed to grab hold of them. They tried to bite and stuff but I called for help and managed until then. I'm just really sorry about Miku..."

"Miku." Rin sighed. She had nearly forgotten about her, too.

'_I officially regret getting involved with Mayu and Cul._'

"I hope she comes out okay."

"I think so. They said she's stabilized, and she's not brain dead, so that's, well, that's always a good thing." A smiled wavered over Kaito's face.

"Right." Rin attempted to smile, but it dissolved, and she sighed hopelessly. "Did this make the news?"

"Just the morning paper. Nothing on the TV. It's, uh, mostly Miku everyone is concerned about, because she's in a really bad spot. Apparently she was a very good singer?"

"Yeah, really good." Rin smiled at the thought of Miku singing at her locker one day. She still wondered how her voice managed to be so soft and delicate. Rin never thought it was possible until she heard Miku sing at her locker before third period bell rang, during those first few nervous months in junior high school, as Rin fretted about Len's health and his tormentors. Miku's song had immediately soothed her, like a lullaby. "She got an offer to be part of a popular group last year. Have you heard of Vocaloid?"

"Y-yeah! That's amazing! They requested her?"

"She declined because I was more important." Rin mentioned regretfully. "She didn't want to move to Tokyo, either. We were pretty tight, sort of like a knot, you could say."

"So you feel that you've caused Miku's coma? Because you didn't."

"I was getting to that. I guess you saved me from some more angst."

"You're still just as important as her, though.

Rin shrugged. "Not really, but thanks."

"You don't need to thank me for saving your life, either. Please don't think of me as you 'savior' or something, because-"

"I didn't plan on it." Rin grinned.

'_I honestly didn't._'

"Oh. T-then I guess you just saved me from making a cheesy speech about it." Kaito chuckled.

Rin swore that she saw Miriam poke her head through the doorway. She blamed the light and focused her attention to Kaito again.

"Sorry about all the trouble I caused." Rin groaned at the pain in her abdomen that was too reluctant to dull itself. "I wasn't worth it. You should have taken Miku and ran off. I was the underlying cause of that fight."

"I doubt that. Those girls were looking for trouble, from what I've been hearing."

"I told them off in the library, since I work there with Miku. They tried to get back by trying to kill us."

"That sounds about fair," Kaito said sarcastically.

Rin rolled her eyes and snorted. "At least in their minds, it did."

"Are you going to charge them?"

"Doubtfully."

"Huh, why not?!"

"It's just pointless, they're going to jail or some detention center anyway, whichever one it is."

"But your medical bills-"

"It's not worth it. I can't waste my time in court."

"But you could get a lot of money out of it. They tried to kill you and Miku. I guess it's still your choice, and it would be justice for Miku if she doesn't come out okay."

"There are just a lot of factors I have to think about."

'_Which daddy dearest will probably decide for me._'

"I understand."

There was a sudden pregnant pause. Kaito began to scratch his forehead and Rin sighed awkwardly.

"You don't have to stick around, and I'm not kicking you out, it was really nice- what you did, at least, but I'm sure you have a life."

"Sure, but I always have time for other people! You're important, too, considering you were almost murdered."

"I nearly got you killed, too."

"But I am stronger than most girls." Kaito grinned.

Rin threw her pillow at him. Kaito squawked and nearly tripped over his own feet in the process of catching the fluffy bed piece.

"I-it's true!" Kaito whined. He tossed it back at her. "I am a guy. It's scientifically proven that men have more muscle than women. I could lift you up if I wanted to. Not now, obviously, since you're banged up, but I could!'

"But you're obviously a lot clumsier than most girls." Rin smiled.

'_He's just a goofball. His face is the only reason I can imagine why Miriam was doing cartwheels around him. That doesn't mean I'm interested. Stupid Miriam, her name sounds like it belongs to an alien's..._'

"What school do you go to?"

"Kikore." Rin quickly responded.

"I go to Nobu. What were you doing in this district if you go to Kikore?"

"I'm looking for jobs. Then I got lost." Kaito muttered with embarrassment. "I suck at directions."

"Aaaahhhh."

"Yes, 'aaaahhhh'." Kaito couldn't help it as a few giggles escaped his lips. "You sounded like a robot."

"I wish I was a robot. Robots don't get stupid internal bruises and fractured ribs."

"Feel free to ask me for anything while you're here."

"Can I request that you take me out of here right now?" Rin snorted.

Kaito's smile was bittersweet. "I'd probably knock into something and drop you."

"That's true."

"I'm not too clums- crap." Kaito knocked his foot into Rin's IV chamber and quickly held it still. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Rin held up her arm with the tube still intact. She still couldn't repress a grin. "How ironic."

"Yeah, I know, I know." Kaito sighed. Before the silence could come between them again, Kaito began talking. "Did you know Miriam is from England?"

"Nope. To be honest, I thought she was American at first. Speaking of white people, where is she?"

"I can give you a hint: she's looking at us."

Rin stared at Kaito doubtfully. "That's an infringement of privacy. She wouldn't..." Rin looked out the window and gaped at the shimmer of platinum blonde. "She's staring at us through the door window?!" Rin screeched.

Rin saw the puff of blonde hair stick out along with the nurse's bright blue eyes. Kaito and Rin looked at her until she ducked her head and opened the door.

"Heeey there!" Miriam sheepishly entered the room. "How did it go, kids?"

"Are you writing some kind of book?" Rin asked, completely exasperated.

"I think this chapter will have to end here, then." Kaito waved at Rin. "I-I'll be back tomorrow!"

"N-no, you don't! I'm fine!"

"Yes I will! See you! Enjoy the roses!"

"B-but- god he's such a klutz." Rin muttered as she watched Kaito bump into a small nurse and apologize to her profusely before finally departing.

"I think he's a keeper." Miriam giggled.

"I think you're a bit crazy." Rin muttered.

"Eh, I hear it enough. He's still a lovely boy, though. C'mon, I can see those cheeks getting red~"

"He's fine." Rin rolled her eyes. "I do appreciate what he's done for me, but it's mutual. That's it."

"You seemed to have a nice chat with him. You needed that. I'm glad that he promised to visit you over the next couple of days-"

"Days? How long am I going to be in here?"

Miriam frowned deeply. "Rin, your injuries are still serious. You were at risk for internal bleeding. You could be in here for several days."

Panic flooded Rin's head again. "I can't."

"Why?" Miriam crossed her arms over her baggy scrubs.

"School." Rin said quickly, in order to hinder Miriam's suspicion. "And my younger brother is sick a lot and he needs my help-"

"But your father said he'd take care of him. He called to make sure everything was alright."

Rin rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger as she attempted to prevent herself from panicking. "Len depends on me, though. I know what's best. He can't go to school alone either, and-"

"Rin, this is your time to rest. Your brother will be fine."

"He can't even visit me because of his lack of immune system." Rin groaned.

"He'll see you when you get home! Everyone will be happy to see you healed rather than wringing in pain. Can you swallow pills?"

"Like a champ." Rin smiled bitterly.

"Take these two. These are more painkillers; you take two per afternoon to help relieve the pain- yes, in addition to the other medications that are being administered to you. You get to bring these pills home when you are discharged from the hospital. Here's some water."

Rin took the pills while Miriam watched.

"How do you feel?"

"Better." Rin took another swig of water.

"Dinner should be coming, soon. Will you be okay alone?"

"Sure. You already watched me enough today." Rin remarked dryly.

"Can't an old woman like me have a little fun?" Miriam giggled.

Rin rested her head on her pillow and heard the door close. She closed her eyes.

'_So, Len is probably getting beaten at the moment, Miku is dying, and Meiko- God, I forgot about Meiko- she just lost her only employees, and I'm chilling in a hospital while I'm... I'm fucking flirting with some dude I've never met. I don't even remember his last name. Fuck, I have to get out of here._'

She looked at the window again. Rin attempted to stand, but the tingling in her abdomen warned her to lie back down. Rin relented and lowered herself into the mattress. She stared at the ceiling again and gazed at the lights.

"I'm fucked."

What else was new?

* * *

**Ahahaha I don't know how hospitals work. Okay I do, I just like doing things because comedic purposes. I wouldn't want Miriam as my nurse, though…**

**It's also midterm season /sob I'm also leaving for Sweden soon and I'm staying for a week soooo if I take longer to update, that's why. I should have updated **_**Scorned**_** by now but I'm having a writer's block. Eugh. I blame studying for my Nutrition exam…**

**I actually have nothing else to say for once so bye! O v O**


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